Language is what defines us as human beings. And today, more than ever, language skills are essential in every aspect of life. Nearly every school subject involves reading and writing, increasingly so in high school and college. Every major standardized test has a reading and writing component. And in most professions, employers look for applicants with the ability to think critically and express themselves clearly.
Our goal is to equip our students—your children—for high achievement inside and outside the classroom and to give them an edge in a competitive world. To that end, we offer language arts classes for 2nd through 8th grade. A solid grounding in mechanics, grammar, vocabulary, writing, and critical reading during these formative years will prepare students to excel in high school and beyond. Small and focused classes, with a thorough and systematic curriculum, give them a level of instruction that schools cannot.
Here’s a brief description of our language arts program:
Vocabulary – An expansive vocabulary helps you understand what you read and gives you more options when you write. (It also boosts your scores on standardized tests.) Our students not only learn what words mean, they practice using them.
Grammar – By mastering the rules of English, you not only avoid mistakes, you gain control and precision in using it. We teach grammar systematically, with emphasis on concepts that students find difficult.
Writing – Knowing what to say and how to say it are different abilities. We give our students rich ideas to work with—topics in science, history, and social studies—and let them practice putting them together. They gain a “toolbox” of style techniques and composition structures such as the summary, the story, the report, and the essay.
Reading – Finding facts in a book is a low-level skill. Beyond this, we train our students to read carefully and critically, looking for the author’s ideas, techniques, and purpose.